59 Fitness Facts Backed By Research For That Extra Kick Of Motivation

A study compared people who exercise for less than 30 minutes per week and those who engage in physical activity for roughly seven hours per week. The results showed that the latter group had a 40% lower risk of passing prematurely.

Many people find that exercising helps them sleep better. Notably, people who engage in moderate-to-vigorous exercise have better sleep because it shortens the time it takes them to fall asleep and reduces the time they spend awake in bed at night. Physical activity can also lessen daytime tiredness and, for some people, the need for sleep aids.

When it comes to swimming, people have two main problems. Finding a suitable lap pool is the first and the second is how challenging swimming actually is. Swimming is essentially a full-body workout. Just 20 minutes in the water may burn over 250 calories, pretty much the same (if not more) as running. Every muscle fiber in your body, from your core to your extremities, is activated when swimming. No other activities are as demanding on your upper and lower body while being kind to joints. Additionally, the anaerobic nature of the sport will immediately increase your heart rate by promoting hypertrophy and, essentially, muscular growth.

In a survey, 53% of adults reported feeling good about themselves, 35% reported being in a good mood, and 30% reported feeling less stressed after working out.

According to studies, couples who participate in fun exercises and activities together report higher levels of overall relationship satisfaction and even greater feelings of love for their partner. In addition, exercising with a partner allows you to fit in some "us time" within your busy schedule.

The vast majority of people stretch before a run to loosen up their muscles and prevent injury. According to a recent study, that might not be the best plan. In a test including experienced runners, those who stretched statically before the exercise used more energy and had lower stamina. Apparently, the best way to release your joints and muscles without reducing your endurance is to do some light walking.

Our bodies continue to utilize energy while we sleep since it is a time for the body to heal and replenish. The average human is estimated to burn roughly 50 calories each hour. However, the exact number depends on an individual's BMR. Because having more muscles increases BMR, people who exercise regularly burn even more calories than the average.

In a survey of more than 13,000 Americans, married males exercised roughly half as much per week as men who were not married. Married women exercised less than single women, though not by as much of a difference.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that walking is the most popular form of exercise in the US. Running and weightlifting are two other notable examples, even though most Americans stick to walking.

The bedrock of developing an effective exercise program is variety. Changing up your workouts can, at the very least, keep you from getting bored and keep you motivated to exercise. However, variety also provides significant physiological advantages. In just six to eight weeks, your body can adjust to a repetitive exercise program. This indicates that becoming stagnant in your routine might quickly result in no additional gains. According to researchers at the University of Florida, people who changed up their workouts every few weeks reported feeling more fulfilled and motivated.

Historically, male athletes above 18 trained in gymnasiums before competing in the public games of the time. Gymnasiarchs, who were government officials in charge of organizing games and sports at public events and oversaw the schools and contestants, were responsible for supervising the gymnasiums.

The best exercise is one that you can inspire yourself to do often. Dancing makes staying active easier and more fun. Besides, it similarly enhances cardiovascular health to jogging or cycling.

Antidepressant drugs are frequently used to treat depression, which affects one in ten people in the United States. But medication isn't the only option. According to research, exercise is also proven therapeutic. However, while it works for some as well as pharmaceuticals, exercise alone is insufficient for someone with severe depression.

The body of research on workout music has grown significantly over the past ten years, assisting psychologists in better understanding why exercise and music are such a powerful combination for so many people. Music improves mood, reduces perceived effort, boosts endurance, diverts attention from pain and exhaustion, and may even encourage metabolic efficiency. People run farther, ride farther, and swim faster while listening to music — often without even realizing it. In fact, research showed that runners who listened to upbeat music throughout a race finished it more quickly than those who didn't.

Age, abilities, ethnicity, shape, or size are irrelevant when it comes to reaping the health benefits of physical activity. Any individual who spends less time sitting and instead engages in moderate-to-vigorous physical exercise benefits from it, even if those benefits are not obvious or apparent right away.

It was found that engaging in regular physical activity improves blood glucose control, can prevent or delay type 2 diabetes, and has positive effects on lipids, blood pressure, cardiovascular events, mortality, and quality of life.

Compared to a control group, overweight or obese women who were typically inactive increased their cardiovascular health by walking for only 10 to 15 minutes each day. In a separate study of sedentary men, it was discovered that a group who biked for 10 minutes at a moderate pace and then for 1 minute at a high intensity had the same effect on their oxygen uptake as a group that exercised for 50 minutes at a moderate pace. After the 12-week research, both groups had similar fitness gains and outperformed the control group. These findings support the idea that even short exercise can boost your health, especially if you are not already active.

Studies that examine the precise calorie expenditure of muscle against fat are uncommon because accurate measurements would be challenging to obtain. However, one study found that muscle accounts for around 20% of the total calories you burn daily, whereas fat accounts for only 5%. According to another study examining sedentary adult women, resistance exercise increased their basal metabolic rate (BMR) for up to 48 hours.

Abdominal exercises can help you seem leaner by strengthening your core. However, core exercises alone won't eliminate that stubborn belly fat. According to studies, engaging in cardiovascular activities like brisk walking, running, and biking for 20–40 minutes daily will assist you in slimming down your waist.

It's mistaken to think lifting weights is the only way to build muscle. There are, in fact, many different ways to increase strength without lifting heavy. Beyond enhancing one's yard and being closer to nature, gardening has many other advantages. Gardening is considered moderate-intensity activity by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In fact, just 30 to 45 minutes spent gardening can burn up to 300 calories.

Being active themselves is one of the best ways for parents to get their children to exercise. According to the study, children of active parents were 5.8 times more likely to be active than the offspring of two inactive parents.

Studies now show that there is a difference in how men and women burn fat. In one study, where participants ran on a treadmill for 90 minutes at 63 percent of their maximum speed, it was discovered that women burned much more fat than males. This demonstrates that women use their muscle-fat reserves for energy more effectively than males do.

Exercise raises testosterone levels, consequently boosting libido and enhancing athletic performance, which results in more stamina, which can ultimately lead to major improvements in sexual life. Other than that, sex itself is an excellent form of exercise. According to research, during sex, men burn roughly 4.2 calories each minute, or 101 calories on average, while women burn 3.2 calories every minute or 69 calories on average.

200 muscles coordinate to lift your foot, move it ahead, and then set it down with each step you take. The muscular system, which comprises over 650 muscles and covers the entire body, is responsible for thousands of bodily functions, including blinking, grinning, running, jumping, and standing upright.

Numerous studies have shown that consuming protein before a workout can enhance athletic performance. Eating protein (alone or with carbs) before exercise has been found in one study to improve muscle protein synthesis. Another small study discovered that taking 25 grams of whey protein before working out increased whole-body anabolism, or muscle growth, in comparison to taking a placebo.

Your body needs water to function. Your body temperature, blood flow, and muscular contractions are all controlled by it. All of these are crucial for an effective workout. If you exercise without drinking enough water, you'll tire out more quickly and achieve poorer results.

Exercise promotes hormone balance and healthy weight regulation. Hence, regular exercisers have a lower risk of getting numerous cancers. According to the American Cancer Society Guidelines on Nutrition and Physical Activity for Cancer Prevention, getting more physical activity is linked to a lower risk for several cancers, including breast, prostate, colon, endometrial, and possibly pancreatic cancer.

According to The 2019 IHRSA Global Report, 4% of the new year's gym members stopped going by the end of January, followed by 14% by the end of February, and 50% within the next six months.

You may think that you'd feel more exhausted after working out. Physically, it is often the case, but anyone who has ever experienced a "runner's high" will attest that it also provides you an energy kick. Endorphins, brain chemicals that lessen pain perception and heighten good emotions, are to blame for that post-workout bliss.

According to an extensive study of over 200,000 cross-country skiers, physical activity reduces the chance of long-term clinical anxiety by half. Although the Swedish study concentrated on skiing, the researchers concluded that nearly any cardiovascular exercise may help shield us from excessive stress and dread.

A recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study found that around 1 in 4 Americans are not physically active. According to the CDC, being "inactive" means not engaging in any physical activity outside of work in the previous month: no walking, gardening, etc.

Equal to the importance of working out is the importance of knowing when to rest. Overindulging in exercise can result in injuries, weariness, and depression. On some occasions, certain physical injuries may last a lifetime. Besides, the American Council on Exercise (ACE) asserts that depriving the body of rest could lead to insufficient muscle glycogen levels. The body may start using proteins as fuel due to this depletion, which lowers the amount of protein available to support muscle growth and repair.

One-fifth of Americans use a mobile health app, and one-fifth say they currently use a wearable fitness tracker. Considering the percentages of Americans who admitted using these devices in the past, approximately one-third of Americans have worn a fitness tracker like a Fitbit or smartwatch at some point (34%) or have tracked their health statistics on a phone or tablet app at some point (32%).

Nearly 80% of brain and central nervous system tumors are gliomas, the most prevalent kind of brain cancer. Although the origins of glioma are poorly understood, some data points to the possibility that early life exposures may contribute to the disease's development. Childhood and adolescence are periods of fast brain development, which may make these years more susceptible to environmental impacts.

Women often have less overall muscle mass than men in absolute and relative terms. Lean body mass variations between the sexes first develop somewhere during puberty and last for the rest of our lives. And while long-term strength training increases muscular mass in both sexes regardless of age, men who engage in intense strength training can develop more than twice as much overall muscle mass as women.

Girls gain fat at a rate nearly twice that of boys during the adolescent growth spurt. It is characterized by more and larger fat cells. It is primarily present in the gluteal-femoral region, including the pelvis, buttocks, and thighs, as well as in the breasts. Changes in the levels of female hormones are primarily responsible for this general increase in body fat deposition, particularly sex-specific fat.

According to Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) researchers, vigorous exercisers have greater vitamin D and HDL (good) cholesterol levels. Being outside more is probably the reason. People who exercise often spend more time outdoors in the sun, thus increasing their vitamin D levels.

According to a recent survey, in 2022, about 6.1 million Americans lost $397 million on gym memberships they ultimately abandoned. Of those who did attend, 7.4% did so only once a month or less.

The first such examination found that four out of five 11 to 17-year-olds worldwide do not exercise enough. Apart from four, all 146 countries surveyed showed that boys were more active than girls. Compared to 78% of males, a staggering 85% of girls engage in insufficient physical activity.

Sarcopenia, the involuntary loss of muscle mass, strength, and function, is one of the most noticeable symptoms of aging. After the age of 30, muscle mass declines by about 3-8% every decade. After the age of 60, the rate of decline is even higher.

Core training is often associated with sculpting its most prominent member: the abs. However, "core" describes several muscular groups, not just one. Training your core can provide you more benefits than just a six-pack (although that’s a nice perk); it can also increase your body's overall strength, power, and athleticism and lower your chance of injury. According to Sports MD, as many as 35 separate muscle groups connect into the pelvis from the spine and hip region, making up the core.

According to research, sedentary kids are more likely to become inactive adults, which increases the chance of young people developing severe illnesses like cancer and heart disease. This is why promoting fitness and activity from a young age is essential.

The idea that lifting big weights will result in a bulky physique is a widespread myth, particularly among women. Hard lifting indeed encourages muscular hypertrophy, which results in an increase in size. It is false, however, that it results in a "bulky" look. Women's hormone profiles differ from men's; thus, they won't be able to bulk up like men. In men, testosterone levels are higher, which helps muscles grow. Fortunately and regrettably, women's hormone profiles prevent them from losing all the fat they may want as quickly as males, even though they can tone without becoming bulky.

This famous saying was based on a single study from 2010 that found those who sit for longer than six hours a day have a higher mortality rate. But the truth is more nuanced. Chronic disease risk can be increased by leading an extremely sedentary lifestyle, but not as much as smoking. It matters what you're doing while you're seated as well. Working at a computer, as opposed to just watching TV, increases calorie burn and maintains a healthy metabolism.

Research shows that breaking a sweat can result in lower blood pressure hours following acute exercise. There is also strong evidence that suggests resistance training, such as lifting weights, helps lower blood pressure, as do other types of exercise. According to one study, this type of exercise reduced blood pressure by about 4 mmHg. However, post-exercise blood pressure reductions are typically only temporary unless you exercise regularly.

Since the components of one cell type and the other are different, fat cells cannot transform into muscle cells. However, your muscles get bigger when you exercise, and the energy you expend while exercising causes the fat cells to get smaller. Hence, regular exercise can result in an overall decrease in fatty tissue mass.

According to the National Weight Control Registry, 89% of people who employ a combination of diet and exercise can maintain their weight loss for more than a year.

Walking and running burn about the same number of calories at a similar pace. However, most people can run at a speed that is at least twice as fast as walking. According to the Harvard study, a 155-pound person running at 9 minutes per mile (a very common training pace) burns roughly 122 calories each mile. 85 calories are burned each mile by the same person jogging briskly at 17 minutes per mile. According to that information, running burns about 40% more calories than walking.

Being physically active is a major aspect of having a healthy heart. Other than strengthening your heart muscle and managing your weight, it's one of your best weapons for protecting your arteries from damage caused by excessive cholesterol, high blood sugar, and high blood pressure that can cause a heart attack or stroke.

Need some extra motivation to get going? Think about bringing in a partner. There are many ways to exercise alongside friends and other workout aficionados in person or digitally. And studies indicate that social support might actually increase the results of your workouts. Just being among friends who exercise can inspire you to stay active.

While genetics and an individual’s level of fitness strongly influence how quickly one sees effects from exercising, most people see the first improvements within four to six weeks and the actual results after eight to twelve. Additionally, no two people approach exercise with the same intentions, so the typical time frame to see effects of any type (eight to twelve weeks) is quite malleable.

It is shown to be incredibly effective to have a process goal instead of an outcome goal. Therefore, instead of framing it as "I want to lose 10 pounds," it would be much more beneficial to set a goal like, "I want to exercise four times per week."

Even worse, less than 5% of adults in the US engage in at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day, and around 1 in 4 are entirely inactive. All things considered, more than 80% of individuals don't follow the guidelines for aerobic and strength-training exercises.

These three forms of exercise have various positive effects on health and longevity. Aerobic exercise raises your heart rate and oxygenates your body, which will benefit your heart and brain. Strength training increases muscle mass, which helps with fat burning. It has also been demonstrated to support cognitive function. Flexibility is necessary to carry out daily tasks with ease.

According to a study, people between the ages of 18 and 44 are the most likely to exercise. 59.7% of those between 18 and 44 reported working out at least three times a week for at least 30 minutes.

The fact that 11% of the calories were saturated fat was even worse. This fat is primarily derived from meat. It's simple to cut out meat a few nights a week, which can help you consume less fat overall and improve both your weight and general health.

Due to its popularity and huge user base, social media was quickly accepted as one of the most crucial channels for health communication. Numerous studies have examined the use of social media for interventions aimed at altering the health habits of different user groups. The research, which focused on women in Poland aged between 18 and 35, found that fitness influencer sites play a potentially important role in promoting a healthy lifestyle.

There is a higher chance of becoming a sedentary adult if one's childhood isn't active. Inactivity poses quite a lot of threats to the kid's future. Adults who are less physically active are more likely to develop diabetes, colon cancer, high blood pressure, and perish from heart disease.

The hippocampal volume in your brain increases as a result of aerobic exercise. According to a controlled trial published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, this can lessen cognitive impairment in older people at risk for dementia and Alzheimer's.